Rayward began his mine rescue career when he joined the Avery Island Mine Rescue team in 1969. He was one of the first participants in Metal and Nonmetal mine rescue competition, participating in the very first National MNM Mine Rescue Contest held in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1971. In his tenure, he served in every role and was on one of the first teams to respond to the Belle Isle Mine disaster in 1979. He also responded to numerous other mine fires and to the Retsof inundation in 1994.